oh, my stars and garters

Questions

What does oh, my stars and garters mean?

Expression of astonishment.

Where does oh, my stars and garters come from?

Attested (in the figurative sense) since before 1763 (see James Otis' 1763 pamphlet, The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved: "These representations of us, many of the good people of England swallow with as much ease, as they would a bottle-bubble, or any other story of a cock and a bull; and the worst of it is, among some of the most credulous, have been found Stars and Garters."). For the stars, see oh my stars. The garters refer to a heraldic order (in a stellar shape) that British monarchs could bestow. Together they were used as a name for the trappings of high office or the individuals who occupied such.

How to pronounce oh, my stars and garters

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